A New Request
by thatguy8801
Summary: The Service Club receives an unusual request from its mentor. Others begin to realize personal details as the request continues and evolves.
1. Chapter 1: Isolation

**A/N: I do not own any characters nor the Oregairu series.**

**Hello folks and welcome. Now this this is new for me as I have never written these characters before. Ive tried my best to remain as true to their personalities as possible but alas I am no where near perfect. Also, I have never written a multichapter fic before so this is bit of an experiment for me. So if stuff seems off, that may be why. If there is something wrong do let me know (please be kind!)**

**Now I would like to inform you all right now and upfront that I will not be updating regularly. I am a college student and one with poor mental health so I beg of you guys to be patient and I shall try to do my best to update as frequently as possible. I have wanted to read more Hachiman x Yukino (Yes this is the main ship here) but there is only so much so I decided to make my own. I hope you all share the same interest as me as I continue this series.**

**Thank you all and I hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 1: Isolation**

What does it mean to be a loner? Surely the sentiments of such a label are known to be negative in the eyes of society which I frankly find to be bullshit. But a loner cares little for what society thinks of themselves. Source: Me. Isolation and solitude are painted as the "enemy of today's youth" and an epidemic to the mind, according to today's scholarly high society bunch. I embrace the silence and the solitude, it keeps my mind at peace and free of any nuisances from that damned club. Isolation is not necessarily a bad thing, it is practiced all throughout today's education system as is. A school assessment is always done in solitude, no one is to assist the other, and yet proper occupations search for teamwork and cooperation skills in order to "better the workplace" and yield the most efficient of solutions, as it is claimed. Ridiculous. Such hypocrisy at work and yet embraced by society.

Society, such a terrible mess. A loner's ultimate enemy. It is a threat to the very way of life to us. The flow of the group attacking the pillar of support for us loners; a crowd blindly follows along, like a herd of cattle moved through a slaughterhouse line. A superficial being made of others. Incredibly irritating to say the least.

What right does society have to determine the acceptable and mainstream values of today? I don't recall some higher being placing this concept in charge of such a task. Who would entrust such an important thing to the mindless masses? Those who rarely think of anyone else but themselves?

Well whoever it was, they made a really, _really_ stupid mistake.

Mob Mentality is one hell of a drug. That's all I know.

I made my way through the halls, sluggishly of course, sticking close to the wall and squeezing through gaps in the clusters of slow walking idiots, most likely gawking and screeching over some pointless new piece of gossip. Seriously people, can't you all walk faster? No one wants to walk behind you at a damn snail's pace, we have places we need to be. Well, I want to be at home but if I skip out on club, my obnoxious teacher, Hiratsuka, will somehow manipulate things to get me some sort of leadership position in the next student council event. No more, I beg of you demon.

I shivered as I made may to the door of the clubroom. It's quite a miracle that anyone can find this place. Out of the way in a corner hall on the second floor, a generic old classroom. No labels save for a small sign above door that read "Service Club" on a small wooden plaque. I guess the faded streaks on the old wood can count as a distinctive and identifiable label. Easy and no effort put into a distinguishing feature. I say it's a success.

I opened the door, slinking in as quietly as I can to avoid any disturbance to the Ice Queen. I'd rather not have to deal with any sort of lec-

"Good Afternoon, Hikigerma, 6 minutes late today. As expected of a lazy individual such as yourself," a cold, terse voice remarked. I sighed.

Damn that woman.

Yukinoshita sat elegantly in her chair, her poised posture emanating an aura of style and grace. Her long, raven hair cascaded over her slender frame and down the back side of the chair. Her icy blue eyes remained fixed upon the book she was reading in her lap. Known to all as the top of the school, a calm and intelligent individual who can take on anything and fix it herself, she had a further trait set unbeknownst to the general headache of a population. Her refined appearance only sheltered the insecure, conflicted recluse I've gotten to know over the past year. She yearned for an outing out of the mess that is her family and a genuine pillar of support as well as someone to rely upon. A façade so masterfully crafted over years of experience that anyone not with my exceptional observation skills (a definitive trait amongst loners) would have easily glossed over. Despite all her cold and unforgiving insults, I could almost sympathize with her. Key word there is _almost_.

"I see your bland and condescending sense of humor hasn't changed a bit this year," I muttered monotonously, moving to sit in my chair.

"And I see your rotten eyes still haven't improved. You will traumatize the freshman with a single glance in their direction."

I ground my teeth. Damn this woman. Always making me the butt of her insults.

I pulled out my personal novel and began to read. The faint sound of paper fluttering signified Yukinoshita turned a page in her book. A peaceful silence settled over the room. Despite our bickering, Yukinoshita and I were similar in many regards. We were both veteran loners, set in our own ways, childhood trauma affecting our lives, stuff of that sort y'know. While she can be irritating in her high and mighty attitude at times, she can still show a softer side that can really make you smile.

Ah, uh, my bad I got off track. Ignore that.

I sought to break the silence. "Did we receive any new requests?"

"Your lack of perception is remarkable. Had we a request, I would be prepared with information to begin as soon as you arrived. Perhaps you need to clean and sterilize those rotten eyes of yours in order to see properly."

Ouch. So much for a soft side. "I had not realized my rotten eyes have captivated your attention for you to focus so intently on insulting them," I grumbled.

"Once again your remarkable aptitude for ridiculous exaggeration and idiocy is astounding. Have you considered a career in the circus?"

I shot her a glare. "The remark was clearly sarcastic."

She looked up into my eyes. "Oh? Isn't sarcasm supposed to be humorous? You should try to make your jokes at least somewhat funny, otherwise you aren't going to get very far as a circus clown, despite the fact you are already a clown as it is. Don't you think so?"

"When I make it big in the circus, you'll be sorry then," I retorted, eyes narrowing.

She gave a soft smile and a light chuckle. The act caught me off guard and I felt my face heat up and my voice falter. I gave a sigh turned back to my book. A loud slide of the door brought me out from my daze.

"Yahello Hikki! Yahello Yukinon!"

Ah, the wild card has arrived.

Yuigahama daintily leapt into the room, her bag bouncing with her step. Her face carried her trademark smile, visage encapsulated in her (other) trade mark side-bun hair style. Almost a salmon color, she brushed a brown-colored strand of hair over her ear. It is quite hard to miss the energy and liveliness that is Yuigahama. Often in a good mood, she could almost effortless communicate with those around her and bring about a relative peace with in the atmosphere. Just like Yukinoshita however, Yuigahama hid her true self for a better part of the year. Frankly, she was a tough one to figure out as she based her actions on the mood of the atmosphere. I often compare her to that of a politician, ruthless in a sweet way, hiding her true opinions and motives to appease the surroundings and ultimately obtaining what she wants. Like all, she is not perfect. She tends to slip up and reveal more than what she intends and just for a brief bit I can witness clues to her being. I do have my suspicions…

I digress. I have more work to do in that area.

She skipped along across the floor to her seat right by Yukinoshita, effectively ruining the peace and quiet that was so beautiful.

"Ah Yukinon! It's so nice to be here! I'm so sorry for being so late! I got caught up with my other group but I've been quite excited for club all day! Did we get any new requests?" Her rapid-fire statements made Yukinoshita recoil a small bit in discomfort, glancing first to me, then her book and back to the energetic girl.

"Ah, well, no not quite yet, Yuigahama. Not so close please," Yukinoshita mumbled, holding off the ecstatic Yuigahama.

Hey what the hell is this? Why was I scolded so harshly, and she got off Scott free?

Yuigahama appeared to visibly deflate for a brief instant but returned a familiar smile on her face. "Well that's ok! I'm sure somethin' will come through!" She sat back into her chair, a content sigh as she sank back down.

I turned back to my book, trying to pick up in the story where I left off. I couldn't quite get there though. My mind wandered elsewhere as Yuigahama's annoying voice permeated the atmosphere.

What a fleeting thing life to be. At this thought I scowled to myself, upset that I would engage in some noble philosophy. Who am I to judge about the futility of life? I am just a simple loner trying to make it through this hell hole of chapter in school so I may be free from prying eyes and people. 2 of the 3 people who pry the most were currently present in the room. My suffering could not be any worse than dealing with the cold Yukinoshita and the annoying Yuigahama. Gods of life, please hear my prayers and let me go home early so I may rest in peace?

The class door slid open with a loud bang. "Hey kiddos, how's it going here?"

The Gods have left this mortal plane and abandoned me to suffer. The other 1/3 has arrived.

Yukinoshita sighed. "Miss Hiratsuka, I have told you multiple times to please knock before you enter the room."

Hiratsuka gave a shrug and a smile. "You tend to answer a bit too slow, I don't have the time to wait around y'know?" She gave us a wink as she stood in front of the table.

"Yes, and yet you tend to spend a lot of your time talking to high schoolers a lot younger than you are. Honestly, you should spend more time looking for a date than being with us." Aw shit I knew I fucked that one up as soon as the words left my mouth. I gulped and began to prepare myself for the fury that would be unleashed.

But the teacher stood smiling, eyes still on me. Despite what it looked like, those sharp brown eyes were bearing an intensity that made me shrink slightly.

"Mr. Hikigaya, stand up for me, please."

There was no way in hell I was gonna refuse that. I stood up quickly but cautiously, my eyes darted around her shapely figure, looking from her stare to her limbs, searching for any kind of tell.

"Miss Hiratsuka, I'm sor- UGH!" A strong and hard object collided with my stomach, the subdued sound conveying nowhere near the intensity of my suffering. I groaned in pain and fell back into my chair. Hiratsuka is a scary woman.

"Mr. Hikigaya, you'll do well to refrain from that subject area, Ok?" She seemed quite satisfied in herself at my pain and snickered at my quick submission.

"Th-this is abuse and against policy," I sputtered from my chair. I'm quite sure there is a rule against torture and abuse of children, Hiratsuka.

"Since when did you care about school policy? You hardly care or pay attention in my class anyway," she replied, paying me a second glance.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. It's said that a person's eyes harbor a great deal of telling and information on how a person may be truly feeling. In the terms of communication, it is said that people can convey a great deal of information and emotion by way of the eye alone. And this is true; source: Me. Communication is more than just talking and makes up only 30% of proper communication, the other 70% is done through body language. Conviction of emotion through the eyes is certainly included in this statistic. Often the others complain about my eyes and their "disgusting nature" (which does hurt by the way I'm a human too, whatever I don't care) but the teacher's was something else entirely. Neutral eyes conveying nothing, hiding her intentions. Then her visage changed, and her eyes pierced my own, as if a knife shot straight through me and into my very core. The look made me shiver.

"If you don't want another one, then you better keep your mouth from releasing stupid nonsense from now on."

"Yes ma'am," I muttered, holding my stomach as I sat back in my chair. Goddamn these people and their bullshit. I might as well be a human ragdoll at this point.

Yukinoshita had managed to escape the grasp of the touchy Yuigahama. "Miss Hiratsuka, what is the point of your visit today?"

Hiratsuka winked and bared a sly grin. "Isn't it obvious, Yukinoshita? I have a request for you all."

**Thank you all very much!**

**Fun fact: My school has a fanfic class and I will be submitting part of this as my final**

**I also have an AO3 account and shall upload to there as well so those who enjoy either formats can read it there too. I shall upload simultaneously to both accounts.**

**I hope you all enjoyed and I shall do my best to bring as many updates as I can!**


	2. Chapter 2: Youth

**A/N: I wanted to clarify the time stamp for this story. What I had in mind sets after the Culture Festival but before the Field Trip. I hope that clears some things up. Thank you!**

Youth. The very word irritates me to my core. Youth is a superficial concept, a fallacy that is exaggerated and worshiped like some old-world god from long past. Youth despises me and I despise it. It is nothing more than an illusion to the current generation, making people blind to the reality around them. People these days are obsessed with youth. Kids nowadays are obsessed with making new memories with their so called "friends" and what not. And the old generation saying something like 'Oh if I were still in your shoes, I'd do this." Regret always seems to follow those who pursue youth and their past. I almost pity them. But since people prefer to choose that path rather than anything far more logical and reasonable, I refuse to give any respect.

Hiratsuka is quite sensitive about her age. Those who tend to comment upon it (mainly me) will find themselves sprawled out on the ground and a sore feeling in their stomach. At least I think that's what happens to people. Actually no, that is exclusive to me…. My own teacher is bullying me.

Hiratsuka pulled over a chair and sat down with the back of the chair facing her, trying to look the least bit cool and hip. "Yep, I've got a request for you guys, so you better not screw It up." She slid one hand in her coat pocket and began to fiddle with something inside.

Yukinoshita sighed daintily. "Ms. Hiratsuka, you know we don't grant wishes here. We merely assist with a problem at hand and push for self-satisfaction and action," she stated, closing her book to focus on the teacher.

Hiratsuka clicked her tongue. "Yes, I'm well aware of that already, I am the staff mentor here after all." She pulled out a cheap lighter from her coat pocket. You know, one of those cheap ones that sketchy people in dark alleys use? Clearly bought recently at some gas station or corner drugstore. Its plain color flashed around in the teacher's hands, clearly showcasing the immense dexterity she had with this lighter. What a sad thing to show off.

She continued to flick the lighter around. Yeah, she's trying to look cool. "I'm aware of your club's methods, and I'm going to abide by that." Hang on, are we being used as a free version of the advice column 'Dear Abby' in a newspaper? "I, uh, need some help with something in my personal life," she painfully forced out, the lighter stopped moving and found itself squeezed in a tight grip. Yeah, I had a feeling it would go this way. Call me Abby now. "I want some help finding a partner," Hiratsuka muttered as she turned her head to the side, her face flushed lightly. It was a bit endearing to watch really. It's a rare occurrence when the teacher is flustered about something and not assaulting me for it. It's a special day indeed.

Yuigahama clapped her hands together. "Miss Hiratsuka! It's so good to see you to go out there and find some help! You have been trying for quite a while now but that's ok! You may be older, but we will gladly help you out! Right Hikki? Yukinon?"

With each word uttered by Yuigahama, Hiratsuka sunk lower and lower into the chair, so far that I thought she would fall out. She looked incredibly depressed by Yuigahama's words. Despite Yuigahama's unintentional verbal roast, the teacher did little to stop it. I swear all these people are sadists only to me. WHY IS NO ONE ELSE GETTING MY TREATMENT?

Yukinoshita brought a hand up to her slender chin. A pensive look glossed over her face as she sat in thought for a minute. Yuigahama looked between me and Yukinoshita waiting for answers, looking more and more pained the longer we took to answer.

To be quite honest, I have no interest in helping someone find love. It's like someone rubbing their good fortune in your face like 'hah, I can find happiness quicker than you can' and it annoys the hell out of me. I have no obligation to help these people find a happiness that I have failed so many times to achieve. At this point, it's useless to make something happen. You are at the mercy of the Gods of Romantic Comedy and there's nothing you can do about it. I have learned to accept my loner fate, so everyone else should accept theirs too.

But this was Miss Hiratsuka though. A witty, kind, and very caring woman. Her dedication to assisting others and her students, and so her patience, is quite impressive as I wouldn't care to deal with these morons at all. Very youthful and fun, I'm baffled she has yet to find someone to be with. Well, maybe her insecurities with her likeability and age may be off putting. 10 years earlier…

Plus, if I don't help, I will probably be subjected to her most potent of punches.

I really, really didn't want that.

I gave a nonchalant shrug to hide my anxiety and pounding heart. "Yeah, I guess I can help."

Yukinoshita shot a glance to me, her icy blue eyes staring straight into mine for a brief second before she closed them and gave a sigh. What? Did I do something disgusting already?

"Yes, we will assist with your endeavor, Miss Hiratsuka," Yukinoshita replied with heavy voice. That was odd. "What do you have for us then? Where shall we begin to help?"

Hiratsuka seemed to brighten up considerably at out agreements. She sat up and let out a shaky laugh. "Ha, well I knew you guys would come around. With your recent successes in the past few requests you've undertaken, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try." Aren't there laws in place for leaders not to use their underlings for personal use? "I'll make it up to you kids later," She said with a wink. I was confused. "As for my request, well, I guess to begin would be to actually find a man I can consider? One that doesn't seem like a selfish scumbag." Oh, good god, she didn't even have an eye on someone right now. This may take a lot longer than I thought.

Yuigahama seemed to think the same thing. She scrunched up her face and a look of concern passed over. "Miss Hiratsuka, don't you have any friends or acquaintances you like?"

I swear I saw Yukinoshita's eyes glance over to me for a split second at the word acquaintance. I'm sure she had some belittling thought in her mind of how I was too disgusting to be anyone's acquaintance. Thanks asshole.

Hiratsuka sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Err, not really. I do see some regular guys out in the bars pretty consistently. They frequent the local areas and places I tend to visit, but I don't know much about them. I guess we can start there."

The classic blind exploration tactic, huh? What have we gotten ourselves into?

Yuigahama didn't seem fazed and pumped her fists in the air. "Alright! We have a starting point for you, Miss Hiratsuka! Consider this the first step in finding you a husband!"

"While I appreciate the enthusiasm, there's still a bit before that stage, Yuigahama," Hiratsuka chucked. She was trying to pass off the 'cool teacher' persona but failed to hide her lighter-holding hand that made a subtle fist pump below the line of sight of Yuigahama and Yukinoshita.

"Since we have a starting point, I suggest we meet after classes on Friday to draw out a plan of attack and move on the offensive. Does that work for everyone?" Yukinoshita asked this question, but you could definitely tell that was not an option but a settled matter.

"Works for me."

"I'll be there!"

"Pass," I said. I didn't want to give up my Friday night solitude of games and reading for a night out with the 3 meddlers.

"Excellent, I will see and expect you all to be right back here promptly after classes. Be sure you bring nice casual clothes in case we go out," Yukinoshita said.

"Oi, didn't you hear what I said? Don't ignore my presence." I was deliberately ignored dammit.

"Hikigaya, your laziness continues to reach levels further than what I can conceive. I would compare you to a slug but that would be an insult to the slug," Yukinoshita flashed a smile in my direction, probably happy with herself.

"I'll have you know I'm a busy man with important things to do."

"Hikki, video games are not important things."

How dare you, Yuigahama? How dare you attack something so precious and so essential? I will remember this and I will have my revenge.

Oh damn, I sounded like Zaimokuza for a second. I shivered.

"Alright settle down, children," Hiratsuka interjected. "Mr. Hikigaya show up or you will regret it," she glanced in my direction and made a fist. I gulped. "Make sure to bring something nice, I think I'll be needing a drink," she muttered. "Anyway, I'll see you kids around, behave now!" And she was out the door.

Yukinoshita sighed and stood up. "Well that is it for club activities today, you are both free to leave." She walked over and began to pack up her book.

Yuigahama jumped up from her seat. "Alright! I'll get home and going to start helping Miss Hiratsuka! This is gonna be lots of fun! See you later Hikki! Yukinon!" She dashed out the door, leaving Yukinoshita and myself alone.

I gathered up my book and bag and packed up to leave. I felt like eyes were on me, which is highly unusual for me. Normally my special Stealth Hikki skill kept me in the background and away from these kinds of feelings, however a room with just one other individual didn't quite leave it easy to blend in anywhere. With another loner as well, such a skill didn't work as we loners know how it operates, and so it's success rate rapidly fell. I felt uneasy and turned around only to find Yukinoshita packed up and waiting for me. I sighed and moved towards the door. Yukinoshita followed suit and locked the door.

We walked on in silence towards the front and began to part ways as Yukinoshita moved to turn in the key to Miss Hiratsuka. As I began to head to the front, a tug on my sleeve stopped me in my tracks. Baffled, I turned around to see Yukinoshita standing before me, a light red dusting on her face.

"Y-yeah?" I stammered. I'm sure she wanted to say something but didn't yet. I've read this trope far too many times. Two young people alone together and one does something unexpected and they get embarrassed. Romance follows. I'm not gonna let this occur. Nope, Gods of Romcom you aren't gonna win this one. I won't let that youthful trope win.

Yukinoshita opened her mouth as if to say something and then closed it. Her face getting redder by the second until she turned around. "Nothing, I'm going to return the key to Miss Hiratsuka. S-see you around, Hikigaya."

I had to admit, a flustered Yukinoshita is pretty damn cute. "Eh, yeah. S-see ya."

Goddammit I felt my face getting red. Curse you youth and curse you romcom gods.

**I do have a plan for all of this so I hope you stay tuned. Thank you very much!**


	3. Chapter 3: In which Hikigaya Suffers

**A/N: I apologize for the earlier inconvenience. This story some how got posted in HTML format (Which I made sure NOT to happen) so I am working to fix the issue. Again sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you enjoy!**

The end of the lecture signaled the final class to be over. The shuffling of various items and the new chatter of students told me that school had finally ended. I bent down to grab my bag to pack up, I made sure the extra set of nice clothing was packed and still present. Satisfied with it's probably mediocre folding job, I continued to set my school work away and head out for the club when a shadow came over me from above. I looked up into the smiling face of Yuigahama, who was impatiently rocking on her heels. Why? Can I not travel to the clubroom in peace?

I gave a curt nod and continued to pack my stuff. Evidently that was not the right answer as Yuigahama's smile turned into a pout. "Hikki! Not even a hello back?"

I sighed. "C'mon, we have Miss Hiratsuka's request to fulfill in the clubroom. As much as I'd like to do it from home, let's go now so we can get this over with."

At the mention of Hiratsuka's request, Yuigahama lit up once more and clapped her hands together. Does this girl have the attention span of a goldfish? Or perhaps she is truly that invested in Hiratsuka's request that at the mere mention she is solely focused upon that thing. Either way, it got her off my case so I'll take it.

We made our way through the familiar halls that led to the clubroom; Yuigahama incessantly talking of her proposed plans. I had not been listening to one bit and kinda spacing out when we approached the front of the Service Club door. I swear I heard a noise calling my name. Totsuka? Is that you?

"Hikki! Have you been listening to me?" An exasperated Yuigahama said.

Uh oh, that was NOT Totsuka. Quick, Hachiman, get yourself out of this.

"Uh, oh, hey look, we made it to the clubroom. L-let's get going!"

Yuigahama puffed her cheeks. "Fine. Well then, let's get to this!" And she marched in.

Hell yeah.

We walked in and took our usual seats at the table, Yuigahama sending a greeting to our fearless President. Yukinoshita was already there as expected, a book in hand and a note pad and pencil already set on the table for the planning we were to do. A cup of tea in an oddly creepy Pan-san mug was set nearby with a pot freshly brewed over on the cabinet by the window. She glanced up at us as we made our way in and to our seats.

"Good evening to you, Yuigahama, and evening to you," Yukinoshita said, turning to face me.

"Hey, why did I only get 'evening' while Yuigahama got a 'good evening'? Am I not good enough for that?" I asked, annoyed.

Yukinoshita smiled at me and got up, making her way over to the pot. "I never explicitly said any of that, Hikigaya. Perhaps you only think what you want to think about." She began to pour out tea into two cups.

I waved her off. "I'm good as I am, thank you very much."

Yukinoshita just hummed to herself, her smile still present as she handed us both mugs. "Yes, I'm sure that is the case."

I clicked my tongue and pulled out my book to read. Only I couldn't actually read as I couldn't take my mind off of the suspiciously kind gesture Yukinoshita pulled of setting a cup next to me. Seriously, what's with her? I hadn't nearly gotten anywhere when the classroom door slid open to reveal a visibly brighter Miss Hiratsuka. Still neglecting to knock, she sauntered (I know, I've rarely seen her in such spirits) over to the empty seat in front of our table. Her expression then turned serious which, I'll be frank here, scared me a bit. She set her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together, as if to ask one of us to get in a damn robot.

Yukinoshita closed her book and I followed suit. She cleared her throat as she sat up to properly write. "Since everyone is here, let's get started."

I rested my arm upon the table and my head on top of it. This was to be quite an interesting case, as it was not something we have done before. To be quite honest, it's not something I want to do again. I can try my best to tolerate Miss Hiratsuka's situation since she has been kind, albeit insistently so. However, a kind person now does not simply erase the years of psychological damage from my past experiences in said romantical department. Kids can be so cruel.

To address the elephant in the room, the fact that a group of high schoolers are helping a (young mind you) teacher with her romantic life is uncommon. No, that's an understatement. It's highly unusual. Any normal individual would turn to their friends and family for such trivial work as this; but alas, our dear teacher has turned to us, three high schoolers, two who were loners and one Yuigahama. She has certainly tried all she can without success and so turned to our club. Based on similar experience I tend to recall, I believe normies refer to these kinds of people, like the dear teacher, as a "loser". There, there, Miss Hiratsuka…

I couldn't find the words to telepathically comfort her.

Yukinoshita set her pen to the notepad. "Now then, Miss Hiratsuka, let's start by summarizing your being," she stated so matter-of-factly. I heard Yuigahama huff in annoyance.

I found myself wondering if Yukinoshita leading this charge was the right choice. We don't want a second Battle of Tenaru.

"Hey Yukinoshita, where did you get the proper experience to conduct this?" I was pretty damn sure she had no record in romance; although I had to admit, I was immensely curious and a little ticked if maybe she-

Woah hang on there. Nope, not doing this. Push that thought out right now. Yukinoshita, get me out of this and answer-

Goddammit.

Yukinoshita gave me a sideways glare, evident she was a little pissed off by my comment. "Cold experience, while indeed vital, is not the only method to go about this, Hikigaya. One can still learn from a collection of media."

A flashbulb memory of my time sitting at home playing simulation games danced across my vision. I had to blink hard to dispel it. Dark times.

I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off from a huffing sound between Yukinoshita and I. Yuigahama was looking a little upset with our exchange. She gave us both an unintimidating angry pout before turning back to Hiratsuka. "Don't listen to them, Miss Hiratsuka, they only have half of it right. There's more to do!" She flashed a triumphant smile to all of us, as if to let us know 'this is my area of expertise, watch and learn!'

Yuigahama reached into her bag and pulled out a brightly colored magazine. It looked like one of those cheap tabloid magazines that tend to only have gossip and the likes inside. She flipped the pages until she landed on the one she was searching for. I leaned slightly to get a better look at what she opened to and to confirm my suspicions.

Ah yes, the classic tabloid quiz page. Quite certainly a hive of wretched scum and villainy. I never thought a magazine can be so critical and condescending. The creators seem to have a vendetta with confident kids and teenagers, as the comments with some of these things are a bit mean. I did happen to examine a tabloid in detail once when I found a magazine lying on the ground in middle school. I looked through its contents as well as the quizzes it had. And no, I didn't take the quizzes…. ok, not all the quizzes. It was truly as ridiculous as I imagine. Such invading questions about your personal life like 'would you describe yourself as having _+ friends?' or 'Would you discuss _ with your friends or with your crush?' or 'What would you do in _?' and then tally up some score based on some made up system with what you answered. Then some "all-knowing" box dictates your fate with generic but scathing superficial statements like 'If you scored less than 3 points, you're a loner who will die a virgin.' I cri evrytiem.

And that is exactly the type of thing Yuigahama brought upon this cursed clubroom.

"You are aware that those kinds of things mean nothing right, Yuigahama?" I had to bring us back to a more rational and less hostile to Hikigaya state.

Hiratsuka nodded. "For once, he's right, Miss Yuigahama. Those don't work anyway.

Ouch. I was going to feel offended by that remark only to have it double back and make Hiratsuka shoot herself in her own foot. I felt sorry for her.

Yuigahama adamantly shook her head. "No! There's some good content here! Let me find one." She intensely scanned the page for something to ask. Oi, you're gonna strain your eyes if you keep staring so hard and so close.

Yuigahama gave a yelp of pride as she seemed to find one to her satisfaction. She cleared her throat as if to give a speech. "Now hear this! What kind of qualities do you seek in a partner? This one is practically a gimme!"

Hiratsuka brought a hand up to her chin as she sat back in her chair, a contemplative look on her face. It was actually quite cute. "Attractive qualities, eh? Well let's see here, I would say someone who is genuine. Someone true to themselves and what they believe in. Of course, a supportive individual is a must too. And I would also say some kind and willing to help out others." She nodded to herself, a small smile indicating her satisfaction. "Yeah that sounds about right."

Generic but alright, I guess. Although that quality set seemed familiar. Before I could think further, I heard a gasp from the other side of the table. I glanced over at the other two in order to gauge a reaction. Yuigahama's face lit up at the answer as she wrote down the answer in her magazine. She made hums of approval as she wrote the answer, a small blush growing on her face. She already seemed to be skimming to another one; evidently high in pride based on the solid answer from the first question.

My gaze moved further down. Yukinoshita gazed down upon the note pad in front of her, blue eyes set upon a singular spot, sparkling I may even say. She seemed lost in thought, which only enhanced her captivating features further. The most peculiar of things was she seemed to be nodding along slightly to Miss Hiratsuka's answer. A couple seconds after she finished, I watched as Yukinoshita's gaze rose to meet mine. Her eyes seemed slightly glossed over, an unusual trait for her normally. She held the stare only for a few seconds before she blinked hard, her face turning lightly red, and averting her eyes back to Hiratsuka. I felt my own heat up and I also faced the teacher.

Ok Hachiman deep breathes. Relax and don't get any ideas. Nothing more than a misunderstanding. Yes, she was indeed very beautiful, especially with such an intense look in my direction. However, we are not going to deal with that. Push that back. Bottle this up like you normally do now.

A content 'Ok!' bought me out of my stupor and back into reality. Get ahold of yourself dammit! You're better than this.

Yuigahama seemed quite happy with the teacher's answer. "That was a good one Miss Hiratsuka! I think we will be making great progress in no time! I think you will be pretty excited! She winked and happily jumped to a new part of the page and latched onto a new question. "If you were to take your partner out somewhere special to you, where would you go?"

Hiratsuka scoffed at the question and smiled to herself, giving off an air of immense confidence. "Oh that's easy. I would say one of the corner restaurants out closer to the city center. Or perhaps one of the great ramen shops in town."

Good answer, I can't believe no one has taken you yet.

I looked to Yuigahama and Yukinoshita for their opinions. Yukinoshita had her head tilted to the side and a confused look upon her face. Of course, she clearly does not see the fine quality that is Chiba's ramen. I will have to expose her to the finest delicacy known to man.

Wait. Did I just sugg-

A groan cut off my train of thought. Yuigahama dropped her head to the table in clear annoyance. It seems she doesn't appreciate fine dining either.

"Miss Hiratsuka, a ramen shop is not the place for a good date. And that being special to you is kinda sad."

Hiratsuka and I both visibly grimaced at her words. Shot straight through the heart.

Yuigahama sighed and leaned back into her chair. She looked down into the table, a look dictating she was lost in thought. After a few moments thinking, a bright smile jumped onto her face with an 'aha!' to follow. "I got it! Why don't we hit up a nice café or hang out down town? There's plenty of things to do! Like, we can go somewhere popular down town! Do a little mix and mingle, then see what's next!"

Yukinoshita nodded at this remark, as did Hiratsuka. Yuigahama's smile grew brighter. "Alright! Then it's settled!"

I sighed at the exchange. "Then let's get this over with."


	4. Chapter 4: On the Subject of Shizuka

The streets of Chiba are truly a sight to behold. Especially when the sun falls, the city life of Chiba continues to flourish on. People bustle down the streets, coming back home from their dead-end jobs to relax in any way they can. How I pity the salaryman. You'd think the atmosphere of the prefecture itself would cheer up these poor souls. I know it would for me. The lights of the city sparkle, like a view of the Milky Way galaxy in a rural field. Only this is Chiba, so it's way better than the Milky Way.

I stood leaning against a corner store wall, watching people walk on by. Since it was a Friday evening, many were out to entertain themselves with the goods Chiba has to offer. I could see a number of people dressed to go to casual hang outs (never been to one), a business casual style for a fancier get together (never been to one of those either), as well as formal wear for a weekend date (also never been on).

It was decided that we were to meet at the city center, a corner in one of the more populated districts of the center. I had put the clothes I brought along to use, donning the somewhat nice clothing for the request. A simple pair of dark slacks and grey button up was enough for a "casual" thing, right?

I watched a couple cordially greet each other upon arrival at a meeting spot, and then strut happily down the street. Their happy faces turned bleak as they walked by me; their pace increasing ever so slightly. Damn.

Love is quite an interesting subject. I frankly think that it can bring out the most extremes of any individual. Source: Me. While many tv shows, movies, and all sorts of fiction works have the main character succeed in their venture, that is not always the case for reality. Reality is far worse. What is never addressed in these works of fiction are the consequences of their actions. Consider a certain confession does not go in the way the MC intends it to (as with most of reality), then current relationships are bound to shatter. The MC becomes the talk of the school, judgement coursing from all over. Or take some action the MC must do to further their growing relationship with their interest, depending on what is done, the people or community around them are sure to suffer. There should be more published works that showcase the actual reality of a character's actions rather than hide behind convenient plot armor.

I was interrupted from my brilliant idea by the sound of footsteps approaching and stopping just to my right, a bit too close for my taste really. Too close! Too close! I glanced to my right to identify the invader of my personal space only to receive the poised and distinguished visage of Yukinoshita. The air of elegance and beauty filled the immediate area as she stood next to me. Far more versed in style it seems, she stood proud in an elegant, white blouse, complimented by the dark blue, almost navy tight-fitting pants and light grey coat she wore. She dressed simple, yet she did always manage to turn the most mundane and simplest of things into a spectacular display.

I realized I looked for too long when her eyes met mine. She, too, gave me a once over, although in a longer, drawn out manner than I was used too. I shivered under that gaze, but only to turn warmer soon after. Embarrassed, I turned away and looked into the bustling crowd. I could feel my heart begin to race. She's going to give me heart attack, dammit. Quit it, you're making a person embarrassed. Any guy would get the wrong idea with your extended stares. Don't you have any sense of perception? No loner wants to deal with such attention, especially me.

Yukinoshita cracked a smile, apparently satisfied with her examination. "It appears that even you, a far below average shut-in, can look somewhat presentable, given the right circumstance."

The feeling of embarrassment left immediately, but my heart continued to pound faster than usual. "I can absolutely be presentable. I actually go out, unlike whatever you were thinking. I'm a top-notch Chiba traveler," when I do go out for a ramen excursion. I decided to leave that out to prevent any more accumulation of ammunition for Yukinoshita.

"This is, indeed, a rare occasion for you, Hikigaya. A public appearance beyond the school grounds with familiar individuals. I would dare ask what happened to the original Hikigaya?" I could hear the smirk in her voice.

I adjusted my position on the wall to where I could gaze at her with annoyance. "How funny, we both know I'm only here for the request." However, that answer did not feel as confident as I had intended. I could feel my heart race faster and I couldn't quite place it.

Yukinoshita raised an eye brow, amused at the exchange. "Is that so? You seemed to readily accept this request at the behest of the dear teacher. Even with Miss Hiratsuka's…choice methods of persuading and disciplining you, I would have thought it would take more to get you to comply."

Hell, I did accept that pretty fast for me, huh? I couldn't quite figure out why as to the case. It was unlike me to accept a request of love in such a quick manner, especially with the experience and hell I had undergone in the past few years in the lower schools. I also knew I would have to do some kind of field work as well, which I am utterly opposed to.

So why did I accept so quickly? Why did I even accept this at all? I knew of the circumstances. I knew I would have to deal with the 2 meddlers and Yukinoshita. Perhaps the prospect of taking ou-

Can it Hachiman, we are not going down this torturous path once again.

I scowled and turned back ahead. "If that's the case, then you yourself seemed out of place as well. You aren't well versed in this kind of stuff and yet you are here, dare I say, with a bit of meaning. Why participate?"

That seemed to catch her off guard.

She huffed at my remark and looked forward, a very light red hue on her face. Flustered by my retort. "I merely wished to put the knowledge I had read and acquired into actual practice. It is a learning experience, Hikigaya."

I only hummed in response, thinking how odd the exchange had been and looked forward at the quaint, bricked building across the street. I soon found myself wandering my inner thoughts and began to use one of my 108 greatest skills: monologuing.

It has come to my attention that I was 'off'. I knew It to be true and have been careless in my actions. I had my own set of rules and my own values to follow. The mindset of a loner is generally a very cautious one, and I know that quite well. But I had been careless and nearly divulged from my path. I am a victim of society. A product of the conformist mentality brought on by the collection of weak-willed individuals that praise it. I tried my hardest to do good; to connect with people, only to have it thrown back at me with scorn and mockery. I did not do the same thing as others. I did not act the same way as others. I even tried to find romance as anyone in that age would. And because of that, I paid the price. I was rejected and ostracized. Never would I try for that kind of interaction again. People tend to learn not to touch fire after experiencing the pain, right? Well, the same principle applies here.

And yet, here I am, acting odd. I'm not too dense, that's for certain. Only, conflicted. I knew what was going on, that's for sure. I just wasn't sure as to why. Why? After all I've experienced? Why move down that path again? It won't end well; the previous patterns confirm this. And now I have meddlers; how is this going to hold?

I shook my head. Hypocritical, Hachiman, hypocritical.

Before I could continue, I felt a tug on my sleeve and Yukinoshita pointing toward the building. Two individuals, one with long, flowing black hair and another in a distinctive side bun, were walking down the street and had entered the building. I nodded to Yukinoshita and we proceeded to make our way inside.

/

/

The actual event was not going well at all. Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, and I sat at a table near Hiratsuka's location. She sat at a bar stool in a more social section of the establishment. She was dressed in a fashionable, Japanese violet blouse that closely matched her normally fierce, dark eyes. With it, she wore a sleek, black pleated skirt, showing off a bit of her long, slender legs. She was dressed for the hunt and could certainly draw anyone in. Her personality, it seemed, did just the opposite. We watched as person after person sat next to her, chatted for a bit, a dramatic gesture or expression from her, and then the person getting up and leaving. Add a little bit of time, rinse, then repeat.

Yuigahama shook her head sadly. "Poor Ms. Hiratsuka. She's trying so hard."

I gave Yuigahama a dubious look and then glanced at Yukinoshita. She only responded with a look of defeat and a slight shake of her head. I looked back at the teacher and sighed. "I'll go talk to her." I got up and sluggishly made my way to the dejected teacher. As I got up, I caught a glimpse of the other two, both giving me hard stares. I shivered and made my way up.

I strode up to the empty seat, gesturing if I could take it. She made a slight nod when I took up the seat next to her. She was hunched over, a drink in one hand and the other resting on her forehead. She took a sip and groaned.

"Not going well?"

"What do you think?"

I sat quietly for a moment and paused. This was pretty much what Hiratsuka had been doing previously, what would possibly change this time? I suppose it is a gauge for us to see how these turn out for her. But then again, it most likely felt to her that she was embarrassing herself in front of her students. That wasn't our intention!

I cleared my throat. "So, when you brought us this request, why didn't you go to someone like Haruno for advice first?"

Hiratsuka gave an uncharacteristic like snort. "Yukinoshita Haruno? Please, you and I both know she will toy with this, leaving a path of heavy carnage until she gets bored."

Ah yes, you got me there. I would have not liked to involve the elder Yukinoshita sister in the first place and I had to ask why Hiratsuka didn't consult someone closer to her age. Now I didn't have to.

Well, it's not like Hiratsuka is doing far less damage to her social life than Haruno would.

I sighed and remained quiet, unsure of what to say. I was never really that good at comforting someone. You really need to care for someone to do that on top of actually having a companion. I did have my sister, Komachi, but she was an entirely different person.

Hiratsuka sat up in her seat, swirling around the glass in her hand. "You know, you can be quite easy to spot when you have to look presentable. Kind of ruins that loner persona you have." She flashed me a grin. It was clear she was trying to get away from her as the subject.

"That wasn't my intention."

"I'm aware, but it doesn't help when you have a pretty girl next to you as well."

"She came up by herself."

"It drew a lot of stares."

"And your point?" I turned my head to look at her from the corner of my eye. I wasn't quite sure what the purpose of this was.

Hiratsuka lightly smiled as she took another sip, eyes directly into mine. "All I'm saying is it drew a lot of stares to see one beautiful girl stand so incredibly close to a well-dressed, but rotten looking guy."

I knew it! Too close, Too close! She invaded my space and caused me this embarrassment. I demand reparations! I could feel my heart spike and I became squeamish.

Hiratsuka chuckled at my uncomfortable appearance. I felt a hand lightly pat my head. What am I, some kind of dog? Well, I guess since we are doing this request, I pretty much am a dog running around trying to please its master. What a damn pain.

I looked at her in full and was met with a wink. "You see, Hikigaya," she paused and took a sip from her glass. "I may be hopeless in some areas regarding myself, but I became a teacher for a reason. I look to help people; make sure my students succeed; ensure they find what they are looking for." Another sip, eyes sidelined to mine. "I may be hopeless in things regarding myself, but I am not ignorant when it comes to other people."

I gave her an incredulous look. I had no idea what she was planning, but I had a feeling I was involved and that wasn't good. Meddler #3 is about to make a move.

Hiratsuka stretched and feigned a yawn, looking at the time on her mobile phone. "I'm pretty tired, I think I've done enough here for now." She moved to get up but stopped. "Oh, and I'll be taking Yuigahama with me. Can't let an intoxicated me running around all alone, eh?" She slid out of her seat and stood up straight, sliding the payment for her tab on the counter. We both moved to head back to the table, but she held out her hand. I halted, nearly running into her hand and confused. Hey, don't block my way, I'm heading home.

"Now, now Hikigaya, this is the first time in a while you've been out like this, correct? Take your time getting home; perhaps explore a bit of the town." Ah, now I see.

"No way, not happening. You can take both of them off my hands," I said.

Hiratsuka sighed and rolled her eyes. "Can it, Hikigaya. I'll owe you one."

"You already do."

Her eyes flashed with intense annoyance. I could see a fist clench off to the side. "I will owe you another one, then."

I pondered this for a second. Such broad parameters. This is indeed quite tempting, not often that you have a teacher in your debt. Oh, the possibilities!

That and I was being threatened. Again.

I sighed to hide the mixture of intrigue and fear. "Fine."

She winked once more and waltzed over to the table Yukinoshita and Yuigahama sat. I could see her talk animatedly with the two girls, gestures flying all over. Yuigahama looked stressed and worried while Yukinoshita sighed deeply. Hiratsuka gestured to the fretting Yuigahama to follow began to walk to the exit, tugging her along. I got one last wink. I turned back to the table.

The icy blue eyes of Yukinoshita stared directly back into mine.


	5. Chapter 5: The Road Back Home

**A/N: Hello all, I apologize for the inconsistent updates, finals have rolled in and I have been busy with those and projects. Subsequently, this chapter had been tough to do. I would like to thank fellow user SouBU for assistance when I got stuck, his assistance has been immensely helpful. Thank you for your work and thank you readers for understanding. **

People always talk about individuality, about how they need to stand out to the crowd and show off who they were. They say it'll bring good fortune and gratitude, but that's a lie. Society only looks for faux individuality; a 'stand out' that fits within the expectations of the ruling social order. It is the idea that forces the lowly student to take up so many activities with their daily school lives and run themselves down to exhaustion all for the sake of a slight 'advantage' in the progression of the next stage of life. In reality, they are just another cog in the machine of society. Another prospect of a corporate slave to further the agenda of society. Few, if any, have actually sought and obtained true individuality. I myself, practiced true individuality. I paid the price for it.

Because of this practice, it led me through all the situations and circumstances that made me a loner. All of my experiences and subsequent reactions had put me precisely at this point. This exact moment in time that I never thought would occur nor would I have ever wished to occur.

And yet it happened anyway.

What happened to the car?

Why did I agree to this?

The city streets were illuminated in a low glow from the street lamps; the roadways glitter from the lights in the remnants of an afternoon shower. The sun had fallen close to the horizon, a warm orange glow was plastered across the sky; its grand color fading ever so slightly as the deep navy night sky crept up from the east. We carefully trod around puddles and continue towards the train station, silence permeating the atmosphere.

Yukinoshita kept her gaze down, eyes trailing over the reflections on the wet streets. Her silence was deafening. Anyone would have mistaken it as dismissive and aloof, as if to say, "Don't talk to me." And yet her demeanor indicated a far gentler tone. She occasionally glanced up at me, only to flick back down when mine met hers. She did so even when I wasn't looking; I could feel their icy aura on my neck, causing me to shiver. She seemed conflicted, mouth opening and closing slightly every few steps or so, as if she wished to tell me something. Finally, she sighed and said, "Well that outing went…less ideal than I would have imagined."

I nodded in response. "Yeah, it was a bit painful to watch really."

"Indeed so. Ms. Hiratsuka is as hopeless in courtship as you are with functioning as a proper human being."

Seriously this woman, can't I ever catch a break? "I am fine where I am, thank you very much." I tried to hide my visible grimace at those sharp words. "But regarding Ms. Hiratsuka, we gotta do something to help her out."

Yukinoshita was quiet for a bit, she placed her hand on her chin, lost in thought. "Yes, we most certainly do."

"…"

"…"

Neither of us could think of anything.

I sighed. "Well, what do we do now?"

We had both stopped in our tracks. A ripple of light glided with the waves of a puddle near my feet. The distorted reflection waved back at my, a fraction in the serene image. I traced the image up to an outcropping by the path we walked upon. It seems we have stopped near a relatively low populated part of the city walk way, a small park like area that jutted off away from the street and into the common ground. A nearby bench sat open and free of any distractions. What is this, some serial drama? This could not be more cliché than any situation. Gods of romantic comedy, I'm coming for you if I escape this.

It was a nice little park; I will admit that. I glanced over at Yukinoshita and I could see her breathing had picked up pace since leaving, delicate shoulders rising and falling at a quicker rate than one would deem natural, Right, she was never good with stamina intensive activities. But we hadn't walked that far, had we?

I caught her attention and nodded over to the bench. "Let's just take a rest for now." She returned my gesture and we both moved to take a seat. And by both, I mean Yukinoshita made me use the sleeve of my jacket to wipe off the bench before we both sat upon the cold metal surface, citing 'Kindness and politeness is important and having manners you clearly lack.' Yeah, sure.

We sat in silence for a while, listening as the sounds of the great city of Chiba diminished ever so slightly with the passage of time. Truly a shame.

I recounted the events of the evening that took place. Alright, so Ms. Hiratsuka was not the best at socializing. This was a reaffirmed belief as her demeanor at school is odd and frankly ridiculous at times. When put together in a more professional fashion, she could attract the eye of many for kilometers around (yes, I'm aware of the perverseness, blame this sex addicted society). She could talk up a storm and go on for a while, and that seemed be the driving force away. Oh, Ms. Hiratsuka, if only your personality weren't so strange.

I was so lost in my evaluation that I had almost missed the repeated coughing of Yukinoshita trying to get my attention. At a rather loud cough, I snapped out of my reprieve and whipped over to look at Yukinoshita. Her face betrayed no feeling, save for a soft glare directed at me. I winced and averted my eyes.

"I best believe it is important that we continue our discussion from before." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "In order to figure out what to do next, it would be imperative that we understand what Ms. Hiratsuka and her suitor would feel."

I nodded. Alright, good, logical step here. "We need to know what they are looking for."

"Exactly. A simulation or list of pre-prepared emotions and scenarios that would aid in connection between the two."

I felt like this was a step in the right direction. Break down the objective and then devise means on how to get there. Good plan. "Alright then. Let's think of what would be sought out."

A hand returned to her chin as she delved into her thoughts, no doubt combing through the novels and books she read in order to emulate such a scenario. I set about it as well, albeit a bit lazily.

We sat in silence, the small hum of the city gliding along the slow wind.

In the corner of my eye, I saw Yukinoshita perk up, her face a textbook example of pride. "I am sure they would be searching for compatible traits that may compliment them both."

"Hmm yeah, I think so."

Silence.

"Perhaps a degree of comfort that is shared in the presence of one another."

"Perhaps so."

A light breeze drifted by. A small collection of leaves rustled and swirled, one of which landed in a nearby puddle.

I heard a small inhale. "A mutual degree of trust shared between the two."

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, I would think both would try to seek solace in one another."

There was a nod. "He would see her for who she is and accept her as she was."

I felt a lump in my throat but swallowed dutifully. "She would recognize his pain and understand the things he was deprived of."

"Indeed. They would be there for one another."

"Yeah. And one day look to each other for help when the need arises."

I looked up and there they were. Dazzling blue irises, not clouded with their usual coolness, but a warm, soft gaze; one I had rarely, if ever, seen. She had always been beautiful, extraordinary if you will. She had always been that way. An ice-cold beauty who would not pay any of the attention she received any mind. Often apathetic and aloof to the general populace, she had always shown a gentler side in the absence of others. And here it was now, but far different from those times in the past. Sky blues stared back into mine, a slight movement down and back up, trying to convey some unspoken message. And maybe, for once in my life, maybe it was a message of positivity.

Am I ready for this? After all that has happened, all that really occurred, would I? I was unsure. A person, at their core, is not an easy thing to change. Hell, they will probably never change. A person molded by the mistakes of their past, cemented by the interactions of the present will hardly be a flexible individual today. You cannot change a clay statue that has already been formed and fired. It remains, at its present state, as it is. In order for the meaning of the statue to change in anyway, the environment around it must be changed. The same works for people as well. As for me, the environment of my younger years was not the most…suitable for experiences. Would this time be any different?

I mentally shook myself out of my daze and averted my eyes. I had not realized how close we had gotten. We had moved closer to each other, both leaning in, a few centimeters from each other. I could feel the warm caress of her breath upon my lips, a sharp contrast from the cool air. Her pale face had dusted in a faint red hue that only accentuated her features further. Evidently Yukinoshita was in a similar daze as she blinked rapidly and sat back.

This is unreal. The gods played me like a damn fiddle.

No Hachiman, we need to focus.

I coughed to bring us back into reality. I would rather have a set head on my shoulders if this is to continue and get to work on this damned request. I have been self-indulgent for far too long now. Alright, let's recover this and get back to it. Take charge Hachiman!

"W-well, uh I-"

"L-let's continue on our trek back."

"Ah, y-yeah."

Nailed it.

We bid our mildly adequate bench good-bye and continued our walk to the train station. The air around us, as you could rightly imagine, was thick with an austere awkwardness at the prior interaction. Each passing minute had become added weight to the nerves in my heart. In other words, it was incredibly uncomfortable. Then again, who wouldn't be uncomfortable after that? You would have had to undergo some kind of lobotomy performed by Dr. Lecter himself in order to sustain the tension like it was nothing. Needless to say, not gonna happen. Ever.

I racked my brain for some way to cut through this thick atmosphere. Being in a deadlock along with this thick fog of awkwardness will be nothing but a hindrance. Ideally, I would go home and laze around for the weekend until this all blows over, but I can't quite do that. The station was close but still a little ways off and no detour in our great city of Chiba would get us there faster. A lack of communication had not done us well in the culture festival either and it is completely idiotic to make the same mistake twice in such quick succession. Time was not my friend here. This left me with two options: one, sprint off and leave everything behind and get home as soon as possible only to die and never reemerge ever again. Which requires a great deal of effort and would solve nothing, possibly make things worse, and oh yeah, leave me dead in every sense of the word. And two, discuss. Both options were not favorable for me, but I had to do something at this point and the options were clear.

I opened my mouth to speak but got cut off from my impromptu speech.

"Hikigaya?"

I turned to look at Yukinoshita. I found my throat dry. When did this happen? "Y-yes?"

"Thank you."

"Huh?"

She stopped walking, rooted under a light position by the roof of a familiar odd building.

We had reached the train station.

We stood facing each other, unsure of what to do with ourselves. Time had moved faster than I had intended for once. And it seemed to leave us both at a loss. Yukinoshita was stiff, shoulders straight and poised, almost in an unnatural state. She bit her lip, followed by repeated opening and closing as if she wished to say something. But nothing came. Only a glance at the station clock and in the direction of a high-pitched screeching sound as her train rolled into the station. She returned her gaze to mine and nodded. I returned it.

Silently, she stepped into the train car and turned.

I was shocked to say the least when I saw a smile staring back at me. A rare Yukinoshita smile that seemed to warm even the coldest of days. She held up her hand and gave it a little wave. I returned the wave, both of us continuing as the doors began to close.

Faintly, as the doors slid shut, I thought I heard Yukinoshita say something; something along the lines of "Thank you for your assistance."

And she was there no more.


	6. Chapter 6: Hikigaya Relearns History

**A/N: I apologize for the delay as I have been far busier than I had intended. Additionally, This is getting rereleased due to my hastiness in not including thanks where it is deserved. A big thank you to SouBU for helping me out and getting me on track to a release. Thank you all and please enjoy.**

* * *

The last night train, I always believed, was the most relaxing. As the train pulled away from the station, the car lurched forward, rattling my bones and knocking me into the seat in front. Well that part isn't relaxing, but the rest is. I looked out the window into the cool night sky. The display of life after hours rushed on by, the specks of traffic lights and street lamps passed by like a small snowflake in a winter storm. The dim lights on the office buildings glossed by, fading in the back; similar to the fading life in those salarymen who had to stay behind in those buildings.

The night train always had the most solitary and quietest of people. Primarily, any car an individual finds themselves in, will be populated with the dead eyed and exhausted corporate slaves who had to stay after the officially designated hours for the 5th time this week. They usually kept to themselves, lazily staring out the window, reading some kind of paper to occupy them from the office, or collapsed in a seat passed out from exhaustion and most likely missing their stop, the staff having to deal with them at that point.

An uncommon, but not rare sight, caught my eye. In a few rows in front of me, a couple of young adults chatted excitedly. Their conversation was an oddity in the normally silent car. I couldn't make out their entire conversations, the shrill of their voices would mix in with and occasionally be drowned out by the mechanical ambience of the train. At one point, their conversations ceased and ultimately picked up another individual who happened to be in the danger zone. Evidently, it was someone they were familiar with as the two-person excitement resumed with a third, and equally annoying third person.

The odds of someone they knew being on the train at this day, this exact time, this car, and this path is absurdly unlikely. And yet it occurred, almost as if it were a scene straight out of some sort of B list romance movie. The odds of such a thing were quite low, but perhaps one of the two had known this person in some way? Then it would be a higher chance. And that brings about a whole different scenario.

There is a theory that if you take any one person in any environment, they are, on average, 6 connections away from any other person within their immediate surroundings. Take these people, for example, perhaps one had known someone who had known someone who had known another (you get the idea) who had known this person. By this theory, everyone is connected in some way. Even myself, I am probably connected to these people in some kind of way. I sank lower into my seat.

Ironically, this theory had a bit of support with our own club. Prior to joining, I had no information on, for say, Yuigahama other than she was an airhead who could read situations and play them to benefit the group and herself as a whole. She still is, but we had met previously in the crash of the first year of school as she was the owner of the dog I had saved.

And then there was Yukinoshita. We had met prior to the first day as well. Passenger in the car that hit me. There you go, all connected before formally meeting. I feel like I'm in the American television show Six Degrees.

The train let out a loud screech as it began slow and roll into the stop I needed. I lurched forward as the car jerked to a stop, the intercom craggily, but loudly announced the station and location. A light breeze gently flew into the car as the doors slid open; I pulled my collar up closer to my face. I stepped onto the platform and stood away for a bit, watching the zombies walk out. The annoying group of people walked on by, no care in the world and still loud as hell.

Relationships are a funny thing, you know. No, not just romantic ones, but all kinds. At their core, a relationship is simply just a "connection" with another person. Nothing more. By that standard and using the 6-degree theory, you could really say that we all have some kind of relationship with each other. Of course, that sounds like some kind of degenerate practice if you put it that way. All I'm saying is, at a basic level, that we are all connected in some way.

Now does everyone like or even tolerate that? Absolutely not. We loners do not care one bit about that concept. It is essentially useless to us and a hinderance at our efforts for some solitude. However, no matter how hard we try to escape, a connection will still follow.

I found myself back home, a dark and empty living room awaited me. The light of the city outside leaked into room, light trying to creep around blinds of the windows. The screech of a train could faintly be heard outside off in the distance.

The sound of the train had reminded me of the events that conspired previously at the train station earlier with Yukinoshita. Why had such a thing occurred? I was sure she had said something as the train departed, like some cheesy romantic story trope. And if my life were to go deeper down that path, I would surely lose my mind.

A sound from the kitchen followed by the light being turned out brought my attention to a mysterious person present. I walked over and nearly ran into a solid mass and a squeak followed by a "oh ho!" signaled to the only person who would bother to check for the arrival of me this late at night.

"Onii-chaaaan~!" a sing-songy voice almost whispered. "How did your date go?" A wink of a grey eye. "I bet you mildly irritated them today, oh that has to be some Komachi points!"

I sighed. Komachi always loves to poke her nose in my business and it is frankly pretty damn annoying. But she's cute and adorable so it negates the fact. "It wasn't a date, Komachi, it was only an outing as part of Ms. Hiratsuka's request."

A bright smile lit up her face. Too cute. "Ah I gotcha! Tell Ms. Hiratsuka yahallo for me!" She immediately stopped and paused. A smug look appeared. I gulped. "Oh ho~ something else happened though!" How did she know? Who is she? Sherlock Holmes? A mind reader? Her face quickly changed to one most serious, her eyes narrowed as she stared at me. "Onii-chan, what did you do this time? Something else important happened too."

I gulped once more. This girl is too good. "I'm offended that you would assume something like that. Your onii-chan was simply glad to be back with his adorable Komachi. Ah, that was high in Hachiman points."

A disgusted face followed. "You're weird and gross, onii-chan." My dearest Komachi, why must you hurt me so?

I suppressed the urge to cry as her expression morphed back into something more serious. "Onii-chan, you can't hide it from me. Something else happened and I would like to know so you don't screw something up."

I simply sighed. There was no hiding from this kid wasn't there? "Well, following the outing something did happen…" And here it comes

That adorable Smugachi (smug Komachi) face returned. "Ah-ha~ I knew it! Spill it!"

And so, I recounted the evening. Komachi simply nodded her head along my narrative. She let out a long sigh once I had finished, troubling me slightly. Did I do something wrong? She then let out a muffled squeal and threw her hands up.

"Ahhh! Onii-chan you dog! Yukino-san is in for a wild ride by choosing you."

I just groaned. Why are you misinterpreting these things and creating something that isn't there? You are so damn nosy but so damn cute. What a dangerous combination. As I sat sulking, I almost missed Komachi's continuation to her outburst.

"So, onii-chan, what are you going to do next?"

I looked up. She's right. What am I going to do next? Such an odd act from Yukinoshita must be carefully handled, I would rather not relive another cultural festival planning incident. That was far too taxing and inconvenient. Oddly enough, why am I even caring about such a relationship anyway? What Yukinoshita does and what I do are two mutually exclusive things, why should I watch and monitor what I do? Besides, there is Ms. Hiratsuka's request to handle, I would like to finish that up as soon as possible and without any unnecessary distractions to elongate its duration.

And yet I can't seem to shake the feeling. No, she mustn't. There is no way any of this is as it seems. I mean, she is stuck up and dense, oblivious to those around her. She is headstrong in her ideals but careful to consider those close to her, like Yuigahama for instance. Surely such a thing isn't eye catching, right?

I sighed. I should stop with this. I have made this mistake once and I don't think I can handle making it again. I will not fall into the mainstream trap of looking for something nice in a mundane and unimportant thing. Such fallacies will have dire consequences. It is often said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Granted, my history isn't important in the grand scheme of things, but it is a history, nevertheless.

And there was our job to do.

Emotions. What a trouble some thing. They just seem to round up all things logical and dispose of them in favor for some mess. Maybe I can solve all of this with a lobotomy.

A huffing noise from Komachi roused me from this stupor. She was staring at me with the most unimpressed look. Please don't look at me that way, dear Komachi!

"Honestly, you are so hopeless, onii-chan," she sighed as she shook her head. "You have a disgusting look on your face. Poor Yukino-san, I do feel bad for her."

Hey wait, I thought I was the one who was getting consoled?

She suddenly perked up and leapt to her feet. She spun around once in a clumsy way and struck a pose. "Leave it to me onii-chan! Komachi is a master when it comes to these!"

"No."

She was awestruck. Resist Hachiman!

"Eh? But I-"

"Absolutely not."

"Onii-chaaaaan, why nooooooot?" She put her hands behind her back and stared back at me with large and pleading eyes. Abort! Abort! Irresistible! Run! Escape!

"W-well, ah, I can handle it myself."

"No, you absolutely cannot!"

"Sure, I can."

"Middle school," Komachi deadpanned.

"Ack!" I felt as if I took major damage. Why must you hurt me so? History has come back to haunt me. I can't handle this immense mental strife.

"There is no need for any kind of help as there is nothing to help with in regard to me. If you want to help, help with the request." There was no use in any resistance. It was futile anyway. Naturally, change the subject.

Komachi deflated and scrunched her face. A strong pout formed and tore at my heart. Oh, c'mon now, that face has to be against the Geneva Accords.

She sighed. "But onii-chan…"

I turned away. I couldn't look at that face anymore. "That's how you can help. Get back to me if you have anything. I'm heading to bed." I stalked off before I could hear any response.

There is no way any of this is what it is. Komachi is making up meanings that aren't there. And forcing something to occur that doesn't belong will cause more problems in the future I absolutely do not want to deal with and will not be dealing with.

When one creates meanings where there are none, nothing good can come to it. Forcing relationships will yield nothing of great value. Two people forced together by means of the masses will surely cave to pressure. Trying to live up to expectations placed upon them and dealing with the stress of the expectations will further destroy their relationship with each other and eventually destroy their own psyche.

The sum of it all comes back to the overall idea of a punishing society. Should people be left to their own devices, they will come about to their own satisfying lives. Fraudulent and superficially created relationships have no basis for survival and longevity.

That being said, how will mine develop?


	7. Chapter 7: Hiratsuka Makes Her Mark

The following school day greeted me with a slight chill of the wind, an indicator that fall was to arrive soon. With this impending season full of chills and bleakness, the student body had responded in kind. As if a memo was sent to everyone but me (which is a very likely thing to occur), students began to don clothing supplements and accessories; showing off the latest jackets they snagged at the department store while subconsciously trying to further their faux individuality. It was a tumultuous mix of color and design, as if one looked upon a work by Ushio Shinohara. [1]

And so, the actions of my peers prove me right once again. You see, in this world of depravity, there will always be two things that are certain. The first is that Chiba will always reign supreme as best place to be in the world. Even if the local youth is irritating. Guaranteed. Don't question it. The second is chaos. Yes, chaos. No, not Dreamcast Chaos, universal chaos.

It's been said that the universe consists entirely of chaos and disorder, where one is to believe that existence is merely a happenstance. Humanity is created from the chaos, and ironically, tries to reduce it or fight it in some way, shape, or form. In midst of all the random, some stubborn asshole had to go and rear their head. In order to create that stability and refined establishment, rules are to be made. More so, the various factions of the human race evolved from the simple into the more complex. As these havens grew, one must be able to manage them and keep the peace. And so, laws are created. Back then they were straight to the point, which I can certainly appreciate. It was clear and there were hardly any loopholes. As time went on, more and more laws surfaced becoming a convoluted mess. Ironically, chaos itself ended up with its own law. There are laws in the study of the ridiculously complex subject that is Thermodynamics. The law of chaos: The law of entropy.

The law of entropy will often be described as something abstract. From what I had tried to listen to, it's something like the measure of chaos in the universe. There was something else about how it can't decrease either. Things that change are irreversible, meaning that when something truly transforms into an entirely new thing; it will most likely never return to its previous state, and will almost never do so spontaneously. These irreversible processes only serve to increase the level of disorder in the universe. Normally, anything in the sciences, I try to ignore; I know it's not my forte really but this one happened to catch my attention.

Now why would I go out of my way to look at something out of my area of interest and specialty? Work. Research. It's pretty similar to an RPG. You start out with nothing and you gotta grind your way into something useful. It's long, arduous, and a goddamn pain in the ass, but it's something that I have to do; I can't let Hiratsuka-sensei down. I mean, if there's a law that even governs chaos, then surely there must be some law or guideline in relationships that would benefit Hiratsuka-sensei. She gets her help and then I don't have to do anymore, and her future relationships are not on my shoulders. It's a win-win.

I found the day to be as boring as it usually is, cutting a bit deeper since we have gotten out of a weekend. I had wished I got to spend more of my weekend living the NEET life, but when there's work to be done I never get the rest I want. It felt odd not spending an excess amount of time on my games. My precious Vita-chan, I shall return for you soon!

Class ended soon after, and I lazily proceeded to pack up and head over to the clubroom to continue our work. Our Friday outing had, while not as much as desired, nevertheless yielded some important data for this request. When you're at a loss of what to do next, sometimes it helps to lay out the facts and go from there.

And so, I set up a mental chart. We had found that Hiratsuka-sensei is finally trying to get hitched. Given and part of the request, file to important. Next, would be confidence and self-esteem. Overall, not so bad. That's good. She can manage a simple conversation; she is a teacher after all. Once the generic topics are used up, things tend to sour. Noted, will discuss later. Her self-esteem fluctuates, however; especially when age is mentioned. Source: me. She does seem to put on a great façade, she can fool those in person with her collected and cool aura. Her emails beg to differ. She's as clingy as a damned Koala. I can understand it to an extent, failure after failure in the social scene doesn't quite help sharpen those skills. Noted, we'll have to work on that. On second thought, they might try to turn it on me. No, it'll be noted. There's no way in hell the Meddlers 3 are jumping on me. Off track, where was I? Haah, hmm, let's see what's next. Ah, personality and temperament perhaps? She is quite kind, incredibly caring, responsible (to a degree), and a believer in her students and their futures. Not bad. Good life outlook. She is young at heart, more so than necessary probably. I've never seen a woman so into manga and anime before, it's almost surreal and makes your heart skip a beat.

I sighed as I made my way through the halls. She really is a good person; I have to admit. Strikingly beautiful, charming, helpful, wise, fun, and more. Oh Hiratsuka-sensei, if only you were 10 years younger, then maybe this request would never have to be!

I silently cursed my parents and their timing as I made my way up to the sliding door. Unlocked, I gently opened the door and peered inside. The only person present was Yukinoshita, serenely reading her book at the table. I had paused just for a second, captivated by her graceful composure. I was unable to move, she looked at peace, I didn't want to ruin that. But upon my entering, Yukinoshita looked up to meet my eyes. Sky blue eyes locked with mine; her glossy lips parted slightly, and it seemed her breathing had stopped. My own breath stuck in my throat, unable to escape. She blinked once, twice, and greeted me.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun, welcome."

I was knocked out of my stupor. "Ah, ah y-yo." Choked! What a cliché.

I made my way over to the table, taking my usual seat at the far end. Yukinoshita had gotten up and walked toward the tea set, elegant strides gracefully carrying her elite aura. A small rattle alerted me over to the sight of her adroitly pour out two drinks. She returned with a cup; the warmth combined with the scent of tea made me sigh involuntarily.

"Thanks." I gently took a sip, feeling the warm liquid slide down my throat and heat my body to the core. Aaahhh, it's almost like sitting under the Kotatsu on a cold day. Liquid Ambrosia watch out, Yukinoshita Yukino is coming for you!

After my sip, I reached into my bag to pull out the novel I had been reading. It was customary, at this point, to begin each day in such a manner. I didn't like to talk much, and neither did she. It was truly a mutually beneficial agreement between the two of us, able to pass the time peacefully and without much going on.

Since we have a request however, it would be best to get down to it, and we usually do. The sooner we are done here, the sooner I can go home after all.

Normally, that would be the case. Normally I said. But it seems the event from the other day had Yukinoshita in a bit of a different state. I peered up, curious at the change of habit, only to see a the slightly scrunched up face of Yukinoshita. Her sharp eyes had narrowed, a hint of uncertainty, anxiousness, and…something else I couldn't quite identify in the midst of a swirling pool of confliction. It looked to me as if she were reviewing something; it was a look similar to the ones she wore for our request deliberations. My observation was further supported by the fact that her face was lightly dusted in red and smooth lips quivering, as if barely moving along to some sentence she read in her head. Additionally, I hadn't heard the turn of a page from across the table in well over five minutes.

In my experience, there were only two reasons for this kind of distracted behavior while reading. One: she was currently focused on a rather lewd part of her book. Considering this is Yukinoshita after all, I quickly ruled it out, but not without shame flooding through me. The second was that she wasn't reading at all and had her mind on other matters.

If the latter were true (which it was), it seemed to be of considerable importance, considering she had failed to notice me still after the minute of observation. I was both curious and afraid as to what this matter should be, but I decided to take the coward's way out and get this show moving. I lightly coughed a few times, Yukinoshita broke out of the snake charmer's spell and glanced up at me, eyes widening and then blinking, calming herself down.

"Ahh, we should probably get started for today."

She coughed once and sat straighter in her chair, flipping her stunning black hair over her shoulder. "Apologies. Yes, you are right, we might as well start despite Yuigahama-san's tardiness."

Oh, that's right, Gahama-san has yet to make an appearance. I was wondering why the room was far more peaceful than usual.

No, wait! Don't make such declarations, Yukinoshita-san! You've just triggered a cliché story flag in which said character would burst through the door right then! I wanted my peace to last just a bit longer.

"Ahhh, right." I shrunk slightly in my chair waited for the inevitable slamming of the door to come, aaaaaaannnndddd…. Nothing. Huh. Maybe she wasn't coming. It seems I'm spared the excitement for the time being. Perhaps things just might be going my-

"In the case of Hiratsuka-sensei, our preliminary observations allowed us to see what she is normally like in this kind of scene. I will admit, the findings might be a little skewed since you had sat next to her. Your air of rottenness would have distanced people from the immediate area." A smile flashed.

"Oi, don't treat me like some contaminating variable." The nerve of this woman! Had that evening meant nothing?

What the hell? Get a hold of yourself Hachiman! Of course it was nothing!

Nevertheless, it still hurt, additional circumstances aside. Keeping the tears at bay, I decided to cut the comment there and press on. "While she is a bit more unfortunate and hopeless than we thought, that doesn't mean we didn't get good data."

Again, I know science isn't my thing, but we had to delve into the subject in order to truly process this request. When we were initially penned by the desperate Hiratsuka-sensei, it was decided by Yukinoshita that were to do a type of data collecting method used in psychology called observational research. It's just as the name says, observe the natural behavior from a distance. In theory, it's supposed to catch the true behavior of an individual that is under study and gather information on them. It's not without its flaws, though. The subject could unknowingly change their behavior due to this research presence. In Hiratsuka-sensei's case, well I'm not sure if such a bias would change much of anything.

Mankind has many methods of studying absolutely anything, but there will always be something to get in the way. There will always be some kind of disorder or something going wrong. Ahh entropy, you're quite beautiful, aren't you? In this case, Hiratsuka-sensei is the chaos and disorder. Well it certainly is still strikingly beautiful, who ever would have thought disorder to be alluring?

Yukinoshita nodded her head. "Yes, it was an…unusual yet beneficial experience. We gained insight on what Hiratsuka-sensei is like in such a scenario and insight to what kind of person she is. From there, we can pinpoint what trai-"

A slamming sound from the front of the classroom cut off Yukinoshita and made us both jump, our bewildered gazes trained on the airhead that just popped in.

"Yukinooooon! I'm so so so sorry! I got caught up after class with Yumiko and the others didn't read the time I'm so sorry please forgive meeeee!" Yuigahama sobbed as she burst through the door, a worried look plastered on her face. She rushed into the room and latched onto Yukinoshita, who grimaced at the close contact while muttering "space, please" that failed to reach the energetic girl.

Dammit Yuigahama! It was peaceful! And now ruined! I knew nothing would go right; irony is but a cruel mistress.

While Yuigahama was effectively cuddling the very uncomfortable Yukinoshita, another head with long black hair poked through the door.

"Ah, good. You three are finally here. Y'know Hikigaya, when I saw Yuigahama here running through the halls like some new transfer student late for class on their first day, I had to come and make sure you and Yukinoshita weren't at each other's necks now." Hiratsuka-sensei finally entered the room, closing the door behind her, her coat billowing around her like some shounen protagonist. Seriously, you sprout some slice of life manga cliché while looking like that? How unfortunate.

Yuigahama jumped off the exhausted Yukinoshita and waved. "Oh Hiratsuka-sensei! Welcome! I hope everything is going well!"

Hiratsuka-sensei smiled at the energetic girl's greeting. Stop it, don't encourage her. You're an enabler. Be a disabler please.

"I'm doing alright. I just came by to see how you all were doing. Maybe see if there's anything more for me to do." That just sounds like you are looking for a favor to build. You're too suspicious.

Yukinoshita shook her head. "No, not for now. We have yet to decide what path to take. I hope we did not waste any of your time here."

Hiratsuka-sensei shook her head as she walked up to the table. "Nah, it's alright. I don't have too much right now, so I wanted to stop by."

I narrowed my eyes. "We had essays last week. Am I getting it back soon?"

Intense malice radiated from across the table. Those piercing eyes spoke of all the threats and anger I needed to hear. Please don't hurt me.

As I shrunk further into my chair, Yuigahama piped up to the left. "Friday was so much fun! I think it helped us out a lot! I felt like I learned a bit," she gently said with a chuckle. She turned away from the teacher with an almost bashful look on her face. Hey, what are you getting embarrassed for?

Hiratsuka-sensei let out a soft sigh and grinned. "Well, I do appreciate it. I'll let you kids get back to it, it seems I have a couple things left to do." Daggers once more. I'm sorry! "I'll see you all around." She spun around as if she were a graceful dancer, her coat rippling once more (unfortunate). She made her way out, waving behind her as she opened the door. It slid closed, a gentle wooden 'thunk' cutting off the rest of the school from us.

Yukinoshita turned to the two of us, composed as she normally is. "Let's get started then, shall we?" She pulled out the old notepad from earlier, writing something down, I couldn't really tell.

Well I guess it's my time to shine. I figured sharing the mental notes on Hiratsuka-sensei would be beneficial. I shared my findings and conclusions with the two of them. Yukinoshita wrote down what I had said and confirming that what she had was accurate while Yuigahama vigorously nodded her head to every point I made. Hey now, quit being so excited.

And so, I relayed my musings to the two of them. I did my best to convey all I derived. I had hoped that such information would allow for a path to open up. The immediate aftermath of our Friday night observation had not yielded a direction to take. In all fairness, we aren't the most suited for this sort of thing; however, Hiratsuka-sensei had come to us. Combined with our fearless president and the rambunctious teenager, I was destined to be strung along for this ride.

Once I summarized my earlier thoughts, I left it to them to decide what was next. This was too taxing and not within my realm of knowledge. Pitting the youth to do the hard work of human connection, what was Hiratsuka-sensei even thinking?

Yukinoshita and Yuigahama, on the other hand, took it a bit more seriously. Yukinoshita brought a hand up to her chin, reviewing the notes written on the pad. Yuigahama crossed her arms and nodded her head, a soft "humph humph" sound.

"Hikki can be surprisingly helpful at times," said Yuigahama, eyes narrowed in my direction.

"Human observation is a skill of mine. I've had plenty of time to develop it," I said with confidence. It was one of my special skills, so of course it was good. I was pretty proud of its high success rate. A mediocre middle school experience coupled with a lonely first year of high school can allow for one to enhance such skills after all.

Instead of the looks of admiration I was supposed to receive, the only looks I got from Yukinoshita and Yuigahama were the neutral faces of displeasure and disgust, respectfully.

Yukinoshita simply sighed and rubbed her temple in irritation. "Right, thank you Hikigaya-kun for your helpful input only to ruin it by saying such things."

I clicked my tongue.

"Anyway," Yukinoshita tapped the note pad with the eraser of the pencil. "I believe we have what we need to begin a search. This would obviously begin with the search for one who would best compliment Hiratsuka-sensei's personality."

Thank you for stating the obvious.

It was silent, the three of us lost in thought.

What the hell am I supposed to do with this? I seriously wonder what Hiratsuka-sensei was thinking with this task. I mean, two of us have a combined total of 1 friend, not that it's bad or anything. I function just fine. Just fine.

Wouldn't she have any friends to consult on the matter too? Granted, they're all getting married now, and she wouldn't like to see the sight of a newly wedded couple. She was not in the best mood when I ran into her after that wedding she attended. But she is acquainted with Haruno after all. A master in human manipulation, a lesson or two from her would get her the golden egg straight from the goose.

And yet here we are.

Surprisingly, the silence was broken by Yukinoshita. She had quickly cleared her through to draw our attentions. Straightening up, she voiced her thoughts. "I suggest we take advantage of the sights and sounds of the city. Various institutions of entertainment are hubs for the populace to mingle and form the connections needed for a potential friendship or more using the latest trends in pop culture. Consider-"

"Haven't we already tried that?" Yuigahama interrupted.

"Chiba's Summer Sonic festival [2] ended already, something similar that is Hiratsuka-sensei-esque will be hard to find," I said in a matter-of-fact tone. That is truly a missed opportunity.

Yukinoshita sighed and put a hand to her head. "If you would let me finish, I would suggest one of the many activity focused establishments. Ball room dancing, for example. There doesn't have to be an organized event to do this."

I stared at her. "How old are you?"

Yuigahama laughed nervously before she could respond. "That's a bit too much at this point, Yukinon. We can keep it mind though!"

Yukinoshita seemed to deflate a bit but nodded at the cheerful girl. Silence followed once more.

Once it started to get uncomfortable, Yuigahama raised her hand. "The first step for a great relationship is friendship! Friends usually form when you see people a lot, maybe we can work with the school for now?"

I raised an eyebrow. "So, you're thinking along the lines of the mere exposure effect then?"

Yuigahama gave me a blank look. I could see the gears grinding behind those eyes of hers, however it seems the machine has broken down.

"Er, yes?"

I narrowed my own eyes. "You have no idea what that is, do you?"

For those who are unaware, the mere exposure effect is a theory in psychology regarding connections and relationships. As the theory goes, the longer a person is exposed and interacts with another, the higher opinion they shall have of that person. Take for a moment to consider your standard corporate slave office. One person sits next to another all day long, there is little to do and frankly office work is boring. So, what is this one to do? He may chat up the lady next to him. Since they are stuck together, the more they interact, the more each impression of the other grows. Keep it up long enough, and then they are surely stuck together voluntarily. In the case of Hiratsuka-sensei, one of her fellow faculty and herself might be affected. Everywhere else, this can be pretty much anywhere. Work environments, as I said, rooming, teams, clubs, etc. Ah, clubs….

Anyway, it is just a theory, after all. I spent each and every year in middle school stuck in a desk arrangement for extended periods of time. No matter where I was, this theory seemed to fail me. I grew closer to no one. I was still cast aside and stayed only within the confines of my own desk. Desk-chan never tired of me, what a true friend.

Yuigahama scoffed and sent me a challenging glare. "O-Of course I do! It, uh, has something….to….er, do with people?"

I sighed. Well she isn't wrong.

I glanced over at Yukinoshita, who appeared to be in some sort of daze. Her cold blue eyes seemed distant, as if there was a tunnel in the notepad that would continue on for hundreds of meters. "Exposure. Yes, that may be," she mumbled, gaze still locked on the pad.

Yuigahama's hair bounced as she cocked her head at Yukinoshita. "Yukinon? Are you ok?"

Yukinoshita snapped her eyes up, cold sapphires looking straight at mine before resting on Yuigahama's. A shiver ran through me.

"Y-Yes I'm fine. We will consult with Hiratsuka-sensei regarding the other faculty. Since she is away, it is safe to say that we are done for today." She glanced over at the glittering windows of the classroom; various arrays of oranges, reds, and yellows fluttered through like a child's kaleidoscope. Ah, I had hardly noticed the time. It all had rushed by in the blink of an eye. It would seem the days were getting shorter.

I packed up my things and bade farewell; Yuigahama rushing off to some unknown place that I couldn't care any less about, and Yukinoshita off to return the club room key.

I made my way through the barren halls of the new building, the only sounds evident were the heels of my shoes on the tiled flooring. This section was always peaceful. It had a sense of calming and tranquility. A majority of this hallway bore windows, and so the setting sun could be seen diving behind the clouds to its destination that was the horizon.

On my way out of the building and heading to the bike rack, I passed by two students in the courtyard; a male who was bent over in front of another student, a female with light brown hair and a cunning aura about her. As I passed, I heard her vehemently denying the confession of the male student, claiming that, while she was grateful, he was not what she was looking for. How annoying, I better stay far away. What useless agony it would be to get involved with such an individual.

I arrived at the rusting rack and unlocked my bike, turning to face the now setting sun. I sighed and began to head out when a familiar white coat had caught my eye.

Oh ho, so she is still here after all? I'm not getting my essay back anytime soon it seems.

I made my way over to Hiratsuka-sensei, who sat leaning up on the brick wall of the school, facing out to the road. There was a small glow from the burning embers of her cigarette, the item now a short stub of its usual appearance. A tranquil look lay on her face and her nearly violet eyes could be glimpsed from underneath her half-lidded gaze. Her eyes opened fully when she heard me approach.

"Ah, Hikigaya, fancy meeting you here."

"You're right by the bike rake, you were bound to run into me."

A small chuckle escaped her as she reset herself on the wall, staring straight out to the horizon. "Yeah, that was the point. I usually don't spend my time out here in these kinds of places."

Really now? Sounds like someone trying a bit too hard. To me, that seemed like quite the pose there; one could almost think it was copied from a rather unique style of literature.

I walked forward to stand by her, a light but cool breeze rocked the two of us. Hiratsuka-sensei's raven black hair fluttered lightly, the embers of her cigarette flickering out. She muttered a curse before tossing it to the side, pulling out a fresh one and her cheap drugstore lighter. The flame sparked to life at the pull of her finger, the flame dancing in the wind. Once lit, a satisfied Hiratsuka-sensei flipped the lighter once and deposited it back into her coat pocket.

"Hikigaya, do you know why I submitted this request to you all?"

"Because you were desperate?"

An intense glare was shot at me. "Can it. And no, that's not the only case." She returned her gaze out to the horizon, taking a long drag from her cigarette.

"Life's short, you know. Each one of us only but a fraction of history. It often makes you wonder what the point of all of this really is." Drag. Exhale. "Is there really a means to everything? Is there some underlying reason for us to live as we do? I already know your answer, I might even share it along with a few things. But that doesn't mean it is the end all be all. There's more to life than some grand reason of existence." Another pause for a smoke. "When I was your age, I had a small group of friends. We did everything with each other, we were practically like siblings."

I glanced up to look at Hiratsuka-sensei. Her eyes seemed distant, and a far but warm smile lit her expression. I looked in the same direction as she did.

"I valued that relationship. One could even say I obsessed over it. I had a good reason for that." Pause. "Do you ever wonder why I am so invested into this relationship of ours, Hikigaya?"

I was silent for a moment, taking in the strange narrative that led to this point. It seemed odd for Hiratsuka-sensei to open up in this regard, it was not a side I was expecting. I wasn't sure what to do. I had a feeling this would all be related together, but I still wished to know more. And so, I gave my answer.

"I don't."

Hiratsuka-sensei huffed. "For a self-proclaimed loner, you sure don't think many things through, don't you?"

I side eyed her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I could see her eyes sparkling in amusement. "Just take a look at yourself, at what you've done in the club. There was skill and logic used in the past, but you would always fail to solve the real problem."

The wind picked up once more, a few leaves flew by in front of us. Hiratsuka-sensei did not move a centimeter.

"Those friends I mentioned, all in the past tense, I'm sure you noticed. They are all fine, living great lives I'm sure. But my role with them ended long before theirs ended with each other. I mentioned that I valued that friendship, and I truly mean it. They were close to me, and I to them. So much so, that I had devoted myself to preserving that status quo. I did everything I could in order to maintain that, even if it meant taking the fall for many things. I had done this for nearly three years before I was confronted my second year. By this time, I had taken 4 broken bones, half a dozen trips to the faculty room, and 3 emotional break downs for them. It was for my dedication that they talked to me.

"I invest myself in your time because I can see me in you. The me who had no care for the world, the me who disregarded these people who tried to open up to me, the me who found solace in this new companionship, the me who thought I was doing good but did not think things through; in turn I made myself and those I wished to protect suffer. It took a while, and the times immediately after were some of the worst I had ever experienced, but I made it in the end. Following that ordeal, I vowed to not let another fall into my same path. I figured the youth of tomorrow would be the place to start on this vow."

She took another inhale from her cigarette. I only sat in silence.

"There's only so much you can do alone, Hikigaya. One day, you will end up hurting those that you wished to protect by disregarding yourself." She had taken one last drag before tossing the spent stick on the ground, grinding it under the sole of shoe. I glanced up and eyed her actions. She pushed off the wall, and began to walk towards the staff parking lot, only to stop and turn her head; half her face was visible, and an inquisitive, yet smug look was staring back at me. "Despite what you may believe, the reality is that there are people who care about you, Hikigaya. That may even be what you seek. But with every action you take without thought, that reality will slip further and further away. And when it's too late, you will finally understand what it truly means to be alone."

Hiratsuka-sensei returned forward and walked on. She put a hand up and waved back to me, coat swaying in the wind.

And so, the teacher Hiratsuka Shizuka carried on.

* * *

[1] A Japanese Neo-Dadaist artist. He is best known for his abstract pieces created with equally abstract methods. His 'boxing paintings' are created exactly as you think: a boxing glove dipped in ink and then punching the medium

[2] An annual summer rock music festival that begin in 2000 and takes place in the Chiba and Osaka prefectures, lasting for 2-3 days. Artists that play in Chiba the first day go to Osaka the next and vice versa.

* * *

**A/N: Hello to all! Yes, I'm still alive. My summer had been hectic and so has this new school year so far. I've had this in the works for a while now and finally got around to finishing it. As an apology, this chapter was double the normal word count. You may also notice some changes as you progress, one such being the honorifics. I had started off with none and only implemented them in the last couple of chapters. i plan to go back and retcon the other chapters but this ETA is nonexistent.**

**I would like to once again thank SouBU for his assistance with part of this but mainly for his support. Without him this probably would not have seen the light of day**

**I thank you for your patience and apologize once more in this irregular publishing time frame. Please bear with me. Thank you all, and I hope you enjoyed. I hope to have 8 up as soon as I finish it.**


	8. Chapter 8: Dissonance

**Chapter 8: Dissonance **

A crisp wind blew through my hair as the rocky pavement sent my relatively smooth ride jumping away. I blinked quickly a couple of times to gather my bearings and correct the sudden swaying of the bike. Damn, I was lost in thought and nearly crashed. At least I didn't hit any cars or people, nor were there any dogs that needed to be saved. Only once was enough and look where that got me.

A surprise but welcomed downhill section allowed for my aching legs to rest a bit as my bike and I glided down the sidewalk. With a blissful break, I found myself wandering through my thoughts once more.

Hiratsuka-sensei's words had been on my mind since our unexpected conversation. A candid moment in such a manner and to such a degree is rare for her. And while her advice is usually helpful, there was something different in this exchange, something far more personable. I won't hesitate to admit that it had chilled me. Hiratsuka-sensei was usually predictable. Relaxed and occasionally aloof, she was someone who you could anticipate while whipping those who zig-zagged along their path back on track. But this felt deeper, harsher if you will. The one thing that really stuck with me, were her final sentences. I replayed them over and over in my head, each word carefully repeated like a broken record left alone. She was clear, that was certain, yet I continued to mull over them. And so, some might wonder, why?

They didn't fit. To put it in different terms, they went against everything I knew. Everything I had learned, experienced, and assumed were challenged by these simplistic statements. Most would brush off or outright reject ideas that seemed to challenge or disagree with their already established ideals and beliefs. It's understandable that such a thing would happen and logically, I would most likely do the same. Yet in this case, I can't just cast them off. Presentation is indeed important in any lecture, but the one who gives the presentation has a significant amount of sway as well. I can't discard those words immediately due to the fact that they were spoken by my eccentric teacher. Now I can't verify the past she explained to me, I most likely never will.. So, these experiences might have been a ploy to appeal to changing. But why would she lie? What does she gain from lying to me? Sure, she lied about my joining of the Service Club. Wait, did she?

Anyway, I digress.

I continued down the path, passing by people in those familiar black jackets of our school. The sight of my classmates filled me with unease but not for them, just one person in particular.

How weak. I felt like I was back in middle school.

What should I do?

Let's hypothetically consider Hiratsuka-sensei to be correct. I continue charging through this hell of life, unchanging. I continue applying the method that gets results. The method that usually requires a sacrifice. How will things be? How will the future pan out? I can pretty much guess how Yuigahama will react and beyond. However…

I sighed.

What if I modified some things a bit? Maybe open a bit more. I could try again. I'll be risking much of my sanity and trust once more. Maybe there won't be a repeat of the middle school woes. Perhaps I can then properly communicate my emotions.

A clash of differing thought processes and ideals. The textbook definition of cognitive dissonance. Years of personal experience challenged by the words of a confidant whose extensive years of experience outweigh my own. Am I really so weak willed as to have such a dilemma?

Of course, I am.

I arrived at the bike racks, dismounted and proceeded to lock up. Once I heard the click, I turned to the school, glancing over at the spot Hiratsuka-sensei and I had stood.

I walked into the building.

* * *

The bright orange wave of the clouds graced the sky of the setting sun. Pinks and reds dotted the abnormal display, a picture-perfect image. Rays of light shone into the hallway as the Service Club was dismissed, the ever bubbly Yuigahama dashing off to meet friends for a prior engagement, leaving the two of us to pack.

With the ever-present grace of a swan, Yukinoshita silently packed up with me following suit. She made her way through the door, careful not to shut it as I followed. How kind of you. I made my way out, stopping just shy of the next classroom door over. The soft sound of wood gently hitting wood preceded the light metallic click of key in lock. The dancing ray of the sun shimmered over her dark hair, fluttering as she turned around to face me. I raised only a single eyebrow but remained facing her. She took her time to match my position, striding elegantly without fail. I fell in line with her as we silently walked down the halls.

It was a peaceful silence; one that was unique to Yukinoshita and I. It was one that communicates enough trust that words may not need to be spoken. It's a peace that is uncommon and one I'm grateful for. I know I have made that statement, which made my internal deliberations all the more difficult. I couldn't help but steal a glance every now and then, invoking one of my 108 special skills of People Reading. I'm not even sure why. Perhaps I was hoping to see anything that may signal to me any of her thoughts and subsequently any answers to the internal maelstrom that racked my being. But I got nothing. Partially to blame was the dazzling setting sun that impeded my ability to read her face. My other scapegoat being her impressively well-practiced habit commonly found in your high-class families. Well trained expressions of neutrality that betrayed little to nothing. There was nothing that I could do for now. I simply sighed internally as we reached our usual point of separation.

I halted and faced her. "Well, I'll be off then." I turned away and began to walk but was stopped.

"Hikigaya-kun."

I turned to gaze into those icy-blue eyes. "Yes?"

Yukinoshita daintily cleared her throat. "I have some things I would like to address for today with you. R-Regarding the request, of course. I'm going to return the key, but I shall meet you in the front courtyard. So please wait for me."

I released a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Yeah, I can."

She nodded lightly and continued her trek to return the key. I continued down my own familiar path.

What a unique exchange. There was no insult that time around, so I'll count myself lucky that I escaped today, I hope to avoid further verbal abuse. Maybe I will be safe in the coming future. Hooray.

I exited the school building and stood at the front gate in the courtyard.

Yet something was off. I did avoid a duel today, sure but it still left me…unbalanced if you will. In fact, our verbal sparring had toned down a bit since our first evening out with Hiratsuka-sensei. Since the instance in the park. Logical thinking brings about an explanation for such a behavioral change and one that looks favorable to me. But of course, correlation does not equate to causation.

Footsteps signaled to me that the current subject of my thoughts had finished up and was about to join me for whatever escapade I was recruited for. I turned to face her, setting sun boring holes into my already dead looking eyes. I squinted while clicking my tongue, trying hard to convey my malice. Damned sun. I heard a soft chuckle.

"Didn't anyone tell you not to stare at the sun? You'll damage those rotten eyes further." Yukinoshita stopped before me, a smug look lining her visage.

"How very kind of you to care about these poor eyes of mine. Let me grovel before the ever-merciful upper-class elite as a token of my gratitude."

That smug look remained. "I wholeheartedly welcome any groveling you may wish to do."

I clicked my tongue in annoyance. We fell in line and made our way out the front entrance. "So, what is it that you wanted to discuss then?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I had thought I had seen Yukinoshita falter for a split second. But upon fully looking over, she remained as refined as ever. "Research."

"R-Research?"

"Research," she reaffirmed with a nod of her head.

I don't like where this is going, and I don't know if I am mentally prepared to undertake this inquisition. "Do you care to elaborate on that statement?"

"Slow on the uptake aren't you, Brainless-gaya-kun." A wry smile met my glance. So, it was indeed that.

"Couldn't you have gotten Yuigahama to help you out?"

"She is off at a prior engagement, as you are aware."

"Yes, but couldn't the both of you have done this another day when she is not preoccupied?"

"I would rather not waste any more time than necessary on this request."

It would seem I was unable to escape.

We made our way out of the school grounds, crossing the street to the bus stop ahead. My nerves grew ever so slowly once the bus arrived; I could feel my heartbeat slam against my chest once we began to move. At this point, I had to accept the fact of our current actions and justify it with a hollow excuse to quell myself. Yeah that sounds good. This is merely research for work. Nothing more.

Once the bus arrived, the two of us made our way on. Yukinoshita took the lead to the back, settling comfortably at a frontward location next to the window. Ah, so it is true what they say online about bus seating with students. [1] I glanced over at Yukinoshita; whose head remained fixated out the bus window. I inhaled slowly to calm my beating heart and panicked nerves. The mental dilemma I had this morning resurfaced.

Being outright questioned in personal philosophies is unnerving. That's plain and simple. The fabric of your nature and your way of life is being challenged right before your very eyes. The way one lives is built upon by experience, personal ideas and philosophies included. Yet with something so familiar, so common to you being questioned? It rattles you. It very well could insult you as well, depending on your nature.

I was so firm in my beliefs. Those middle school years had shaped me. Sure, it's middle school; it doesn't matter in the long run anyway. But a developing child is vulnerable dammit! Subjecting kids to such cruelty should absolutely be against some sort of international law!

While having my way of life and ideals have been challenged before, I was never this hesitant. Never this willing to let these ideals be challenged. Compared to the start of this service club roller coaster, I was more stubborn.

If you just looked a little closer, then a connection becomes a little more clear.

Endless store fronts filled my view as we drew closer to the interior, finally getting off to explore these new hunting grounds. "So, I have been requisitioned as your aid for the evening to assist in this endeavor?"

"Precisely so."

"I have no way out of this, do I?"

"Hikigaya-kun, which café do you think is most lavish? Or do you think Hiratsuka-sensei would be too uncomfortable? I'm aware of her frequent patronage to ramen shops so perhaps an overly fancy place would be too much to bear."

"Oi, are you even listening to me?"

"No, you are right. We should try out this more moderate and casual place first."

Ignored.

"Come then, let us head in."

We made our way up to a fairly modest building. The exterior was a smooth finish coated in a calming yet quite pale pink, quite similar to the rose you would find on a Fuwarinka candy bag. [2] Moderately sized lettering welcomed us with its bright shine above the door. Yukinoshita and I walked into a modern minimalist design with a fairly sparse dining section. We sat down at a finely waxed wood table, Yukinoshita opposite to me.

A waitress made her way over to us, quietly distributing menus with a smile. I nodded in thanks, taking up a menu in hand while she politely bowed, stating she would return for orders. I opened the menu and took a quick glance, trying my best to keep from the nagging force within me from succumbing to my interest of gazing at a fairly normal Yukinoshita in a date-like setting. Despite a quick recovery at the bus stop, I could feel myself growing ever so nervous at this rather mundane action. Get a hold of yourself, Hachiman!

The waitress returned shortly, with Yukinoshita and I both ordering a simple green tea. Another quick return had us sipping our beverages in a content quiet, soft clinks followed as we set our cups down. As I took some sips of the relatively warm liquid, I could feel myself slowly calming; as if all my nerves were picked up and carried to my stomach, only to be broken down in the warmth of the tea. I finally had the courage to gaze up at my companion, only to see Yukinoshita had clasped her hands together, eyeing me with a small smile.

"Well, Hikigaya-kun, what are your impressions with this selection?"

I took a quick sip. "It's not bad, seems like a nice place for a casual outing. A bit too modern for me, I don't know what's hip these days."

My companion giggled at my response. "Of course not, one of your social calibur is too busy locked away to be familiar with contemporary society."

"Hey now, why am I being labelled a social degenerate by the likes of you?" I scowled.

A smirk met my glare. "It only seems like the proper label for the very elusive Basement-gaya-kun."

"Oi, i spend most of my time in my room. Above ground, I don't even have a basement anyway."

Yukinoshita drew a hand to her chin, pensively gazing into her tea. "Really? Yuigahama told me you were a basement dweller. I'll have to inform her that isn't the case then."

Gahama-chan, you hurt me.

I was spared from a further assault with the arrival of the blessed waitress. Yukinoshita and I simply placed an order for some pastries and confectioneries, giving our thanks as the waitress left once again.

I sat back to enjoy my tea once again, only to be interrupted by a sweet sound in front of me.

"So Hikigaya-kun, is this enjoyable? F-For Hiratsuka-sensei?" Yukinoshita swirled her drink before taking a regal sip. Her refined and dignitary actions almost kept me from answering.

"Ah, well yes, I should think so. Seems like something she could handle."

A soft grin appeared before me. I wonder if that made it through?

Our waitress returned with the rest of order, depositing some very appetizing sweets along with a drink refill at our request. I had ordered a simple cheesecake. A soft, yet tantalizing sweet loved by many. I dug my fork into the cloud like confectionery and took a bite, relishing this amazingly sweet and delectable treat.

I must have made a strange face, for looking up from heaven-on-a-fork granted me the sweetest thing of all. A soft and genuine smile from Yukinoshita captivated me beyond any reason. I hadn't seen her so relaxed and at peace since the conclusion of the cultural festival. Obsidian black framed her content face in the most alluring way, with her blue eyes accentuated all the more.

Only did I witness this for a moment before I again grew nervous. Quickly shoving the cake into my mouth must have raised her from whatever state she was in. Yukinoshita blinked hard and carried on with her own pastry, attention now within the realm of this earth.

"Now that we have sampled this place, do you think this is adequate for Hiratsuka-sensei's tastes? It seems like you have enjoyed this enough to forget manners." Calm eyes gazed at me inquisitively. Seems like the politician's daughter wasn't fazed in the slightest.

I dabbed my face with a napkin. I felt myself flair up at the comment, a bit self-conscious at the lack of awareness. "Ah, ehm, y-yeah I think. Although she would most likely prefer a ramen shop in the end."

Sly eyes and a wry smile met my gaze. "You think so? Then I hope you still have an appetite, Hikigaya-kun."

I gulped, my heart started to pick up speed. "W-What do you mean by that?"

A dainty sip. "What do you mean? We are out on assignment, no? Use those dead eyes of yours, Hikigaya-kun. We have plenty more establishments left to visit."

"Wait. Are you serious?"

* * *

Serious she was. By the time we had finished for the night, we had visited over half a dozen individual places for potential locations all the while thinking of how to carry out Hiratsuka-sensei's request. We had come to the conclusion that a conventional socializing method and a more internet driven method were not the most ideal paths to take. Rather a more mixed tactic of local internet hotspots and real places within her interests. This woman is just too much.

Once we made our way back towards the school grounds, we bade each other farewells and parted ways for the evening.

Logically, I couldn't help but think back to this evening. A rather unusual request from Yukinoshita to do some field work. Clearly she knows I'm not a savvy individual. So what gives?

No. I'm fairly certain I know why. I know exactly why. It both excites and scares me at the same time.

I know what I want. I know what I seek. But do I have the strength to do it? Can I do it? Is this even the genuine I seek? Do I truly know and understand her?

I gazed back into the dimly lit street, watching a familiar silhouette glide off elegantly into the night. As I saw her leave, I couldn't help but feel a lump in my throat grow ever so slightly.

* * *

[1] A fun little meme regarding bus seating on field trips. It's said that the more well behaved and disciplined students prefer a seat closer to the front end whereas more rowdier students prefer the back end of the bus.

[2] A fruity candy made from rose extracts. Commonly sold in 32 g bags in a more chewy format. The bags have a very pink pale rose right on the center for easy viewing.

* * *

**A/N: Hello all! I am many months overdue for an update. That is clear. I apologize for this extended leave of absence. Finals and school had done a number on me and carried me up all the way till Winter break. I was delivered an early christmas present with a lovely cancer diagnosis. Hodgekin's Lymphoma if you are curious. So I spent much of break all all the way until the end of April dealing surgeries the subsequent chemotherapy treatments. Chemo does a number on you and your cognitive abilities, so it was very difficult for me to write during that time. I took up other hobbies and editing jobs to keep my brain somewhat sharp and decent. I struggled through writing and tried to be as coherent in text as I could. I spent nearly all day today writing to wrap this long overdue chapter. As of this posting, I am so far in remission and I hope to keep it that way. Thank you all for your patience and I hope to continue on with this fic until conclusion. Season 3 has now dropped and I hope we get a solid adaption.**

**Until next time!**


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